Disintegrating type sewage disposal system



y 967 u. P. REMBOLD 3,318,248

DISINTEGRATING TYPE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM Filed June 5, 1964 FlG.I

INVEN TOR ULYSSES F? REMBOLD ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice 3,318,248 Patented May 9, 1967 3,318,248 DISINTEGRATING TYPE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM Ulysses P. Reinhold, Rices Landing, Pm, assignor of one-half to Harry M. Roberts, Baltimore, Md. Filed June 3, 1964, Ser. No. 372,304 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-26) The present invention relates to an improved disintegrating type disposal system, and particularly to an arrangement incorporating a unique disintegrating apparatus.

The system is adapted for use with existing sanitary facilities or may provide for the installation of additional facilities, such as a below-the-street level sewer system, and in either arrangement the present invention may serve additionally as a sump pump.

Basically, the invention includes a conditioner tank adapted for communication with a water closet or the like. A centrifugal pump impeller is disposed near the bottom of the tank for remote operation by an external motor. A housing is provided for the pump impeller, having an inlet opening in its underside. The disintegrator apparatus includes a plurality of fixed disintegrators, preferably rodlike beaters carried by the pump housing and positioned around and extending below the inlet opening. A plurality of moveable disintegrators are carried by the blades of the centrifugal pump and extend downwardly therefrom through the inlet opening. Preferably the moveable disintegrators extend to a Zone co-extensive with the fixed disintegrators, such that relative movement causes very elfective action. Breakup of solids is so complete that discharge pipes of the order of 1" in diameter may be employed between the conditioner tank and the municipal sewage system, septic tank, or other disposal system.

The breaking action of the disintegrator apparatus is quite distinct from that of grinders or comminuters, or the like, which can become clogged and which may require screens or other filtering means, also readily cloggable. The heaters are capable of breaking hair combs, small plastic toys, glass bottles, sticks, papers, small pieces of rags, and the like, including also most foreign objects that are, from time to time, inadvertently flushed through a standard water closet, sink, bathtub trap or basement floor drain bell trap.

The invention features an arrangement of the pump impeller and heaters, adjacent to the bottom of the conditioner tank, without check valve or other impediments in the discharge connection to the impeller. This structure ensures that the discharge line will drain back into the conditioner tank, thereby preventing the solids from settling out and clogging the discharge line. The flow-back material is then reliquified during the subsequent tank flushing operation.

With the foregoing in mind, it is among the objects of this invention to provide a domestic sewage pump to facilitate the installation of an extra lavatory below the level of municipal or other sewage systems, in an economical and highly efiicient manner.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a sewage pump which will operate satisfactorily without clogging.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sewage pump equipped with novel disintegrators or beaters capable of breaking up plastic, glass, paper and other materials which might be encountered in a disposal system.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a sewage pump which does not employ check valves in the discharge line, thereby to permit drainage back into a conditioner tank, precluding settling out and clogging in the discharge line.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view, principal-1y in elevation, of the sewage pump of the present invention in actual installation;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the conditioning tank;

FIG. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the conditioning tank and internal components;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the pump casing showing the long radius L;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the impeller; and,

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the pump suction head.

With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a standard water closet 11 installed, for example, relative to a floor 13, which may comprise a basement or any other level in a dwelling or other facility. The invention comprises a conditioning tank 15 adapted to receive sewer pipe 17 from the water closet 11 and to discharge liquified refuse through discharge pipe 19. The pipe 19 may be connected to a municipal or other type sewage disposal system, as shown by the main sewer conduit 21, by means of, for example, a pipe saddle 23.

A pump housing 25 (best seen in FIG. 3) is disposed near the bottom of the tank 15 and includes a plurality of moveable disintegrators 27 disposed within a plurality of fixed disintegrators 29. The pump within housing 25 drives the moveable disintegrators 27 from an electric pump motor 31, supported from the top of the tank 15 and externally thereof by supporting bracket 33. The motor is operated under control of switch 35, in turn operated by float 37, which is set at a predetermined level to accommodate, for example, one or two flushings from closet 11 before energizing motor 31 via connecting link 39.

In operation, the disintegrators 27, in conjunction with the disintegrators 29, break up all solids which collect in the bottom of the conditioning tank 15 and the pump in housing 25 pumps the liquified refuse out discharge pipe 19, which may conveniently comprise a 1" plastic pipe or the like, due to the efficient liquification achieved with the disintegrator structure employed. Also, a further 1" plastic pipe 41 (FIG. 1) may serve as a vent.

The conditioning tank 15 and structure contained therein is shown in detail in FIG. 3, wherein the specific pump impeller and associated disintegrators 27 and 29 are clearly visible. A pump casing 51 (best seen in FIG. 4) of long radius L type comprises a portion of the housing 25 for the centrifugal pump, consisting of an impeller assembly 53 (FIG. 5), including a plurality of blades 55. A pump suction head, or plate, 57 (FIG. 5) is fitted to the bottom of the pump casing 51 to leave an inlet opening 5 (see FIG. 6) through which the vertical disintegrators 27 protrude toward the bottom 15' of tank 15, but they terminate short thereof. These disintegrators 27 are preferably rod-like and are attached to the blades 55 (FIG. 5) of the impeller 53. As best seen in FIG. 5, two moving beaters will suffice, and each may comprise a rod with a right angle portion at its top to facilitate connection to the blades 55. Obviously, it is within the contemplation of the invention to employ a greater number than two such heaters 27, but it has been found that two will sufiice to break up even the hardest of materials accidentally coming into the tank 15; such as, glass bottles, plastic combs, and the like.

The heaters 27 are preferably deployed along the circumference of a circle (or equally spaced from the center of the impeller 53) to maintain balance for the impeller. The diameter of this circle (or spacing) is such as to permit the moving heaters 27 to extend through the opening 59 (FIG. 6) of the suction head plate 57. Also, in FIG. 6 the three stationary heaters 29 are clearly visible and preferably are deployed in a circle concentric with that of the moving heaters 27 but having a diameter larger 3 than the opening 59. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the stationary beaters may extend from the suction head plate 57 to the tank bottom 15' and be rigidly secured in such position, as by being welded or the like. In this instance,

also, a greater number of fixed beaters than three may be employed within the scope of the invention, but it has been found that the invention, as illustrated, is capable of very effective action, sufficient for the applications described herein.

A packing gland 61 (FIG. 3) and asbestos graphite and packing 63 are provided to seal any odor from escaping at the motor shaft 65 and cover plate 67. Ball bearings 69 and rubber bearings 71 fix the shaft 65 in location. The rubber bearings are water-lubricated through vents, such as 73, penetrating the shaft enclosing column 75. The shaft 65 is preferably of stainless steel, so that a better bearing surface is provided through the rubber bearing 71, and further so that rust is prevented from forming on the shaft because of the water-lubrication.

The motor 31 is mounted on stand 33 in alignment with shaft 65 through the supporting structure (not illustrated). A steel coupling 77 is preferably employed to couple the pump shaft 65 to the motor. The pump thrust load is carried by a thrust collar 79 pinned to the shaft 65 above the ball bearing assembly 69.

The cover plate includes a vent pipe connection 81 and an egress opening for discharge pipe 19, which is attached to the pump casing 51 at its opening 83 (FIG. 4). Also, a flexible rubber seal 85, or the like, seals the float connection 39 (which may comprise a stainless steel cable) through the cover plate 67. v

The conditioner tank 15 may comprise a steel tank which is asphalt-coated. However, it has been found that, for example, a 12', 16" or 24" terra-cotta sewer pipe with bell connection or a concrete tank may be used. The cover plate 67 may be equipped with a sponge rubber seal (not shown) and the weight of the motor 31 is sufficient to seal the cover plate.

The suction head plate 57 has a metered opening to regulate the pump capacity. Also, it may be observed that the discharge pipe 19 connects to the sewer system 21 near the top of the conduit, and this arrangement prevents a backflow from the sewer system. Since no check valve is employed, the discharge line 19 will drain back into the conditioner tank 15, thereby preventing solids from settling out and clogging this line. a

While I have described several preferred embodiments of my invention, other modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, intended that my invention not be limited by the specification, but rather by the appended claims, wherein What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for sewage disposal, comprising a tank having inlet and outlet openings; a centrifugal pump having a plurality of blades disposed near the bottom of, said tank; a motor above said pumpfor driving it; a housing for said centrifugal pump, having an inlet opening in its underside; a plurality of fixed disintegrators carried by the pump housing and positioned around and extending below said inlet opening; a plurality of moveable disintegrators carried by the blades of the centrifugal pump and extending downwardly therefrom, through said inlet opening in a zone substantially co-extensive with the fixed disintegrators, whereby liquid conveyed solids entering the tank via the inlet opening are broken up by said moveable and fixed disintegrat-Ors before entering the centrifugal pump for discharge through an outlet opening; each of said disintegrators being spaced from any other disintegrator to be free to liquid circulation completely around it.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, including a valveless discharge pipe for the pump connected to the housing and extending beyond the tank via the outlet opening and adapted for connection to a sewage disposal system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fixed disintegrators extend between the housing and the bottom of said tank and are deployed in generally circular configuration; and said moveable disintegrators lie along a concentric circular configuration of smaller diameter and have a length less than the distance between the blades and the bottom of the tank.

4. Apparatus for sewage disposal, comprising a generally circular tank having an ingress at a location near the top thereof adapted for a sewer pipe connection and having an egress through the top thereof adapted to accommodate a discharge pipe; a centrifugal pump having a plurality of blades to define an impeller disposed near the bottom of the tank; a motor mounted externally of the tank, on the top thereof, and including a drive shaft extending internally of the tank to said impeller for driving the latter; a housing for the impeller having an inlet opening in its underside and an outlet opening in its upperside, a discharge pipe connected to the outlet opening and extending beyond the tank through the egress opening and adapted for connection to a sewage disposal system; a plurality of moveable vertical rod-like beaters carried by the impeller blades and extending through said inlet opening to terminate above the bottom of said tank; a plurality of fixed vertical rod-like beaters disposed between the housing for the pump and the bottom of said tank and located outwardly of the moveable beaters; a switch for said motor; and a float disposed within the tank and connected to said switch switch to energize the motor whenever the liquid level in said tank exceeds a predetermined level; said tank accommodating said beaters in freely spaced apart relation to permit the liquid to circulate around all beaters.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,414,964 1/1947 McPherson 4-10 2,639,901 5/1953 Teaie 241246 X 2,718,012 9/1955 Howe 241-101 X 2,779,948 2/1957 Houle 241-246 X ANDREW R, IUHASZ, Primary Examiner, 

4. APPARATUS FOR SEWAGE DISPOSAL, COMPRISING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR TANK HAVING AN INGRESS AT A LOCATION NEAR THE TOP THEREOF ADAPTED FOR A SEWER PIPE CONNECTION AND HAVING AN EGRESS THROUGH THE TOP THEREOF ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE A DISCHARGE PIPE; A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP HAVING A PLURALITY OF BLADES TO DEFINE AN IMPELLER DISPOSED NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK; A MOTOR MOUNTED EXTERNALLY OF THE TANK, ON THE TOP THEREOF, AND INCLUDING A DRIVE SHAFT EXTENDING INTERNALLY OF THE TANK TO SAID IMPELLER FOR DRIVING THE LATTER; A HOUSING FOR THE IMPELLER HAVING AN INLET OPENING IN ITS UNDERSIDE AND AN OUTLET OPENING IN ITS UPPERSIDE, A DISCHARGE PIPE CONNECTED TO THE OUTLET OPENING AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE TANK THROUGH THE EGRESS OPENING AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM; A PLURALITY OF MOVEABLE VERTICAL ROD-LIKE BEATERS CARRIED BY THE 